Local News

Suspect in kidnapping leads police on manhunt, car chase

The Maui News

A 31-year-old Lahaina man was arrested Tuesday after crashing a stolen vehicle during the investigation of the kidnapping and robbery of a woman who was in the vehicle when it was stolen while it was parked at a Kahului shopping center on Sunday, police said.

The kidnapping of the 57-year-old Kahului woman was reported at 12:13 p.m. while she was in the third-row seating of a 2020 Nissan Armada that was parked with its engine on and doors unlocked at 65 W. Kaahumanu Ave., the address for Kahului Shopping Center. Police said an unknown man, later identified as the 31-year-old, entered the vehicle and drove off with the woman inside.

Despite her pleas to be let out, the man drove through Kahului before eventually stopping on West Wakea Avenue near Niihau Street in Kahului, police said. The woman began to get out of the vehicle when the man pushed her and demanded her bag and phone, police said. She fled to a nearby residence with her belongings and the man followed in the vehicle before driving off, police said.

The woman was treated on scene and released by medics.

At 12:52 p.m., based on GPS in the vehicle, police checked Launiupoko and Olowalu areas for the man before the Nissan was located on Luawai Street in Lahaina. Police saw another head in the vehicle and contacted the driver, who refused to stop, leading to a pursuit through Lahaina and past Nakalele Point, police said. The Nissan struck the bridge at Honolua Bay, then struck another vehicle on Kahekili Highway near Mile Marker 14.5, police reported.

Near Mile Marker 11, the driver failed to negotiate a turn and the vehicle went off the roadway, hitting bushes and a metal pipe, police said. As the vehicle came to a stop, the driver got out through the driver's door window and went over the side of the cliff, police said. The other occupant of the vehicle was discovered to be a dog, which was turned over to the Maui Humane Society, police said.

Officers checked for the driver on foot and the Fire Department's Air One helicopter assisted with the search because of the area's inaccessibility, police said. Rescue firefighters aboard the helicopter made contact with the suspect 100 to 200 feet down from Kahekili Highway, but he refused to leave the brush area and get into the helicopter, police said. Police Special Response Team members were flown into the area but couldn't locate the suspect before the search was called off because of darkness.

At first light Monday, Special Response Team members returned to the area but couldn't locate the suspect. However, a man fitting his description was seen stealing a 1996 Ford Ranger from a Waihee residence at 6:12 a.m. and fleeing south on Kahekili Highway, police said.

The suspect was located near Vineyard and North Market streets in Wailuku at 6:09 a.m. Tuesday. When officers approached, he tried to run, then tried to punch an officer in the face, police said.

The suspect refused medical treatment for a small laceration, police said.

He was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, second-degree robbery, third-degree theft, first-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, resisting arrest, first-degree resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle, reckless driving, driving without a license and three counts of leaving the scene of collisions involving damage to vehicle or property.

Police said charges are pending.